


Monotoe

by zenonaa



Category: Dangan Ronpa
Genre: Christmas fic, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-04
Updated: 2013-12-04
Packaged: 2018-01-03 12:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1070308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zenonaa/pseuds/zenonaa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Monobear puts up mistletoe and Ishimaru is determined to not let Togami spoil the mood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Monotoe

Monobear’s new rule reaped an assortment of reactions.

Having not checked his ID card since the previous night, the rule made itself known to Makoto when Sayaka pecked him on the cheek as they entered the cafeteria together. He flushed crimson and confusion left his mouth in fragmented sentences.

Sayaka pointed at the mistletoe nailed to the top of the doorframe.

“Monobear put them up everywhere,” she explained, staring at the decoration with a smile. “I went for a walk before the morning announcement and met Togami-kun below one on the way to your room. Monobear appeared and explained he wanted to get us into the festive spirit and we had to kiss whenever we so much as passed under any. Then when Togami-kun objected, Monobear made it official.”

Makoto pulled out his ID card and checked.

“So,” he turned his attention back to her, “you... kissed Togami-kun?”

An amusing mental image even if the idea for some reason didn’t appeal to Makoto greatly.

She shook her head. “Togami-kun said the rule can’t penalise actions carried out prior to its creation so he had no obligation to comply, and Monobear disappeared in a huff. Then Togami-kun went to find out where they all are... I think, anyway.” She tapped her chin. “I thought it would only make him angrier if I asked.”

Kiyotaka entered the room once they had sat at a table with their breakfast, so engrossed in his ID card that he failed to notice he wasn’t the first to arrive as usual. Only when he seated himself opposite the pair and tucked his ID card into his pocket did he finally acknowledge them.

“This new rule is incredibly disconcerting,” Kiyotaka announced as he picked up his knife, slathering one side of toast with butter. “Usually I would take such indecency up with the highest possible authority, but the headmaster is behind this legislation and it is intended to enhance the convivial atmosphere... so I approve!” He beamed. “As long as it doesn’t get too far out of hand, let us kiss to our hearts' content!”

“Bing-bong-bang-bo!” came a voice from the doorway. “There are two bastards under the mistletoe!”

Makoto whipped his head around.

Monobear twirled in front of Aoi and Sakura, the former blushing and the latter simply confused.

“Wait, you mean the new rule is serious?” asked Aoi. “I... I thought it was a joke!”

“A joke?” Monobear froze, red eye flashing. “If I wanted to tell a joke, I would talk about one of you! Or I would share a pun from my joke book. Me, making a joke rule... I ought to pun-ish you for that.”

Monobear cackled.

“Get it?” he said. “Pun-ish? Pun?”

A pause. A long pause that turned into a wait broken only by the scraping of toast.

Kiyotaka put down his knife and said, “Oh, I get it!”

Monobear whined.

“This generation can’t comprehend humour that isn’t broken down into bite size chunks,” said Monobear. “I was going to have a stand up comedy night but everything I say would go over your pop culture filled brains. Now pucker up or you’re getting a lump of coal in your head!” He thrashed around. “I’ve got to rework my routine because of you!”

“F-Fine!” said Aoi, rising onto tiptoes and turning toward Sakura.

Sakura crouched and touched her lips against Aoi’s forehead.

Aoi giggled and wrapped her arms around Sakura’s waist. She planted a kiss onto the tip of Sakura's nose.

Monobear trembled. “Oh, oh oh oh! How beary interesting! How beary interesting indeed. The rule is to kiss under the mistletoe but how you kiss is up to you. Psychologists say different kisses mean different things, but isn’t the only person who really knows what a kiss means the person doing the kissing? They’re psychologists, not mind readers.” Cackling, he placed his hands over his mouth. “Good thing I’m a bear because then I don’t have to think about it. I just need to find a nice scent to track and a hot mama-to-be at the end, then I’m done for the year. But humans are so awkward and emotional! Have fun mulling that over. Upupu...”

He vanished.

That wasn’t to say he stayed vanished. Much of breakfast stopped and resumed as he popped in and out of existence, dancing and singing as the room filled with students. Leon kissed Chihiro on the forehead, then he rushed after Sayaka and received a kiss on the cheek as he aimed for her mouth. Hifumi left a puddle of drool on the back of Celestia’s hand, which she wiped onto his face before striding toward the kitchen.

Junko arrived alone and offered to accompany Makoto to the door in case this was his only chance to kiss a fashion girl like her. When Makoto replied not all that coherently that she didn’t have to, not that he didn’t want to kiss her or anything because he wouldn’t mind kissing her, if they were forced to kiss, not that he was repulsed or anything by the idea, Junko laughed and smiled with her mouth and claimed she was merely teasing.

She kissed Yasuhiro on the nose as she headed out.

Touko peeked in and left without a word.

“Where are Oowada-kun, Togami-kun and Kirigiri-kun?” asked Kiyotaka, having not deemed his finished meal a reason to excuse himself.

“Maizono-san said she saw Togami-kun this morning,” said Makoto. “He was looking for mistletoe.”

Yasuhiro scratched his head. “Togami-chi? I didn’t think him that kind of guy.”

“He falls right into the casanova trope,” Hifumi piped up, punching the air. “Don’t fret, Celes-dono and Fujisaki Chihiro-dono. If he tries anything, I will transform into the Blue Knight and protect you with my life!”

Chihiro reddened.

Sakura patted Chihiro’s shoulder and glared at Hifumi.

Celestia giggled behind her hand. “Oh my, that would be quite the sight. I may just let him seek me out in that case.”

“Actually, I think he’s looking for mistletoe so he can avoid them,” said Makoto.

Kiyotaka leaped to his feet, palms slamming against the table. Celestia’s drink spilled onto her lap.

Her face twitched at the visible wisp of steam rising from her dress.

“Not only is he skipping breakfast,” said Kiyotaka, eyebrows quivering, “but he is going out of his way to disrupt the festivity! This is unacceptable!”

Celestia left her breakfast on the table and scampered toward the door, holding her dress away from her thighs.

Hifumi almost fell over as he rolled off his chair and stumbled after her.

Kyouko appeared in the doorway.

Monobear appeared. “Bing-bong-!”

Not missing a beat, Celestia grabbed the strands of hair dangling in front of Kyouko’s ears and pressed her lips against hers.

Hifumi did fall over that time.

Kyouko stepped to the side to let Celestia pass, gazing after her with a bemused expression.

“Mistletoe,” Kyouko remarked, glancing upward. “I assume this rule is being heavily enforced then?”

“What kind of headmaster would I be if it wasn’t?” asked Monobear before popping out of sight.

“This rule was implemented so we can bond,” said Kiyotaka. “It is this bond that will encourage us as a team to strive to do our very best! This rule will lift our spirits in such an unfortunate predicament! Togami-kun’s actions threaten to make all our work for nought! If this goes on, society will collapse and we will submit to our most barbaric instincts! I will not let that happen!” He twisted away and sprinted off. “I will stop him!”

Only when he skidded to a stop by Kyouko at the doorway did he realise the implications of his impetuosity.

“Bing-bong-bang-bo!” sang Monobear. “There are two bastards under the mistletoe!”

“Right, right,” gabbled Kiyotaka, cheeks aflame and as red as his irises. Movements staggered, he cupped her chin with both hands before inching forward.

Kyouko grinned and kissed his cheek. She dodged around him and proceeded into the room, hair swishing.

“Yes.” Kiyotaka coughed. “I... I feel much closer because of that simple act! It is the first step to many things!” He raised a clenched fist. “Now without further diversions, I will go reprimand To-!”

“Yo,” greeted Mondo. “Uh... sorry I’m late. I couldn’t find one of my socks... then I remembered I gave it to Fujisaki to use as a stocking ‘cause my feet are bigger.”

Kiyotaka stared.

“Bing-bong-bang-bo!” said Monobear right in his ear. “There are two bastards under the mistletoe!”

***

Sayaka’s suspicions were correct. Byakuya had toured as much of the school as possible in search of mistletoe so he could plan future routes accordingly. A less haughty person in his position might have felt inclined to embrace the opportunity of finding someone like Sayaka under mistletoe, or at least accept the situation good-naturedly. But not him. Never him.

He ended his exploration at Touko’s door, leaning against the bit of wall beside it until Touko approached.

She stopped abruptly when she spotted him. “T-Togami-kun?”

Byakuya continued staring at the wall opposite him. “You’re Super High School Level Literary Girl?”

Touko fidgeted.

Several seconds passed.

“Or are you Super High School Level Mime?” he asked.

“Y-Yes!” She gave a full-body twitch. “I am. Literary Girl, I mean... T-That’s my field...”

“Then you should have something suitable for me to read,” he said, pushing off the wall behind him and turning toward her door. “If there is a library in this building, then it’s probably on one of the upper levels beyond the shutter gates. I’ve grown bored of all the material I brought with me.”

Again, several seconds passed.

“Well?” Byakuya glared at her. “Do you have anything worth reading in your room?”

“O-Of course!” Touko said. “I brought a lot of books with me...”

“Good. Let me inside and I will sort through your collection.”

Touko blushed and unlocked her door. She waited for him to enter.

“You go first,” said Byakuya. “I don’t want you in a position where you can stab me from behind or block my only exit.”

Once they were both in, door closed behind them, Touko sat on the end of her bed as he browsed through the stacks of novels that dominated her room. No one spoke. Occasionally, he turned a book over in his hands or read the blurb or even the first page, only to replace it and resume his search.

The silence bothered neither. Byakuya was pleasant to watch, his expression stern and sometimes intrigued if he examined a book that managed to catch his eye. He wasn't at all like the boys she used to go to school with, who hid her notes and handwritten drafts on notice boards and in fields and bathrooms. Seeing someone who enjoyed fine literature like she did was one of the few changes that Touko didn’t mind.

“Is this what you’re working on?” Byakuya asked, having made his way over to her desk.

Touko lurched to her feet and almost snatched the notebook from his grasp.

“I-It’s not finished,” she said, twitching her hands in front of her chest. “It’s n-not good enough... yet... I have writer’s block and h-haven’t edited it or-!”

“Are you worried I’ll steal your ideas?” Byakuya asked, setting it down. “How insulting. And stop looking so stupid. Your preferred genre isn’t to my taste anyway. Really, if you weren’t a Super High School Level Literary Girl, I wouldn’t have bothered reading any of them.”

He strode away. Locating a stack he hadn’t yet searched, he trailed his finger down the spines of its books.

Her body stilled. “Y-You’ve read my works?” 

“Most of them,” he said, extracting a novel from near the bottom. “I enjoy a good book and when I heard I was going to share a class with an author constantly on the best selling list with many awards, I became curious. They were to a standard I expected from someone with your title.” He tucked the book under his armpit. "This will do. I should get through it fairly quickly. The library I have at home is much more impressive but this will suffice for the time being.”

Touko followed him to the door. “M-My collection at home is much bigger than this! Maybe not as big as yours-”

“I doubt it.”

“-b-but still more extensive than what I brought with me.”

Byakuya opened the door and stepped out, Touko right behind him.

“Bing-bong-bang-bo! There are two bastards under the mistletoe!”

Monobear leaped out of nowhere and pirouetted.

It took Byakuya a moment to register what happened. He widened his eyes and looked up, scowling at the mistletoe above.

“That wasn’t there when we went in,” he stated.

“Funny, isn’t it?” said Monobear. “But it is bear-finitely one of mine. See, the bear-ies are actually little models of my head. Now Scrooge-kun, purse those lips and kiss-kiss-kiss! Or you won’t be visited by ghosts tonight... You’ll be one of them! Get it?” He threw back his head and clutched his stomach. “Because you’ll be dead-dead-dead!”

Byakuya gritted his teeth and faced Touko.

Her legs wobbled as she made eye contact.

He sighed. “It could be worse, I suppose.” He cupped Touko's chin and tilted her head back, lifting his other hand briefly to take off his glasses. His lips met hers with more force than she anticipated, and he withdrew before her mind caught up to what just happened.

“Oh my,” said Monobear. “I wonder what that could mean. Isn’t it a shame I’m not a mind reader or even a psychologist? In fact, I’m not even human. I’m just a bear. Upupu...”

Monobear popped away.

“What a nuisance,” muttered Byakuya, crossing the corridor and entering his own room.

Touko retreated into hers.

A few seconds later, Kiyotaka jumped into the corridor.

Mondo shuffled after him, smirking.

“Thank you for assisting me,” said Kiyotaka. “Usually I would not resort to such measures, but our unity is of the utmost importance! Oowada-kun, place me onto your shoulders once more and I shall take down the mistletoe above Fukawa-kun’s door! I think Togami-kun’s reign of gloom is over!”

"It's no big deal," said Mondo, obliging. "Just... uh, give me a heads up before you kiss me next time. 'Specially if you're aiming for my mouth."


End file.
